I am considering going with a reman long block 350. Since I live in NC I have to stay with a 1996-1999 engine for emissions laws here. So, with that said, If I go ahead with the long block 350, what would be a good cam to have installed? I have to use the spider injection senerio , that could be modified I hope, to get a few extra HP out of the L31 ? I already have a set of BBK shorty headers and a 3" Magnaflow exhaust to finish the exhaust up.
WHO is performing the "reman"?
Production-line rebuilt engines typically have horrible pistons that have been "destroked", an industry term for "low compression height". They use the cheapest parts available in order to maximize profits while keeping the retail price low.
Better check into the warranty-claim procedure. They may not pay to R & R the defective engine, and I'd want to know who pays the shipping back to the company for repairs. If there are minor repairs done "in the field", how do they pay for that?
If you have to deal with emission inspections, I'm not sure how you figure you're going to get away with hot-rod parts, unless you've got EPA exemption stickers for them.
Do you have the option of building your own engine? Ever since feedback fuel injection and overdrive transmissions became standard, bore wear has been dramatically reduced. I'm putting together an L31 short-block right now--I don't know the history of the core engine, but the main bearings looked so good I'm re-using them. New rod and cam bearings, new gaskets, seals and plugs. I'm re-using the pistons, oil pump, cam, lifters (took the lifters apart for cleaning one at a time) and timing chain. Having a usable timing chain really surprised me. The engine is in such good shape that "rings, bearings, and gaskets" is all the short-block needed. Well, OK, I had to bore one cylinder and buy one piston due to rust pitting from improper storage, and I had the block decks cut for reduced piston-to-deck surface (quench) distance.
I set up the original cam and timing set, and put a degree wheel on the crank. The cam timing events at .050 lift match the specs I found on-line within a degree. Didn't even need an offset key or multi-position crank gear.
Pick a good core engine, it's possible you could "ring & bearing" the short-block without machine work.